The sun's golden rays showered down upon the two boys’ shirtless backs as they sat beside one another, watching the placid waters of the creek in front of them. An hour or so before, they had stripped to their boxers and jumped in the creek, humorously cussing as the frigid water in the calm pool sent shivers throughout. Now, however, as the sun was setting behind them, they sat silent in the sand, their pants rolled up to just below their knees, reliving the day's events in their mind. Slowly, Nicolas Carmichael slid his hand across the soft earth so that it rested in the palm of his love, Daniel.

Daniel turned his focus towards Nicolas, finding the boy's beautiful blue eyes and sandy blonde, unruly hair facing him. Daniel grinned sheepishly. A second later Daniel jumped from the sand onto his feet. He then quickly placed his hands on Nicolas' shoulders and pushed him to the ground so that without any notice, the two were chest against chest, flesh against flesh. Daniel looked deeply into the cobalt eyes he faced, his smile gone, searching for a moment before he spoke in a whisper.

"You know I love you...right Nico?” he said as more of a statement than a question.

"Yah Dani, I know. You know I love you too, right?"

Once again, the grin surfaced upon the boy's face. "Now how does one respond to a question like that without sounding like a copy-cat after an answer like yours?"

Nicolas arched his eyebrow, and smiled much the same as Dani.

"Jerk..."

"Dork," Daniel said, with a soft punch to Nicolas' shoulder.

"Hey...you know what, I'm hungry. What do you say we head back to my place and grab some food, then we can watch some movies or something, then crash..."

"Sure...I already called my folks and told them I was going to crash at your house tonight. They said it was cool."

"Great..."

Daniel stood up, extended his hand towards Nicolas. He took it, and held it tightly for a moment before standing. The boys then stood and walked back to where they had crossed the creek earlier, joking and flirting as they walked upon the soft brown sand.

The part of the creek they were to cross was not nearly as peaceful as where they had just been. Water rushed between huge rocks, spraying a faint mist into the air. However, the two adventurers thought nothing of it. They had jumped from stone to stone across once; they could do it again.

Daniel jumped first, landing firmly on a large rock. He made his way to the middle of the rushing waters then waited as Nicolas followed. Once both stood next to one another, Daniel slowly moved even closer to Nicolas and gave him a soft kiss upon the lips. He then turned and continued across the rocks. Just as he began to leap from one of the rocks, he lost his balance. Nicolas saw it as if time had slowed. Daniel swayed for a moment, trying desperately to regain his balance, but to no avail. He fell backwards into the water, his right shoulder slamming into a rock just below the surface. He yelled, pain surging, yet Nico was paralyzed with fear for a second. Then his mind came back to him. He quickly jumped from rock to rock down the stream, matching the speed of the water Daniel was rushed so forcefully by. He quickly realized he must jump in, and so he did. The water was blistering cold, yet his body was numb. He swam as best he could towards Daniel, who desperately tried to keep his head above the raging waters. Finally, as if an eternity had passed, Nicolas reached Daniel, and put his arm around him... The boy was in shock, yet he still had his humor about him.

"Let's get the fuck out of this damn creek."

Nicolas laughed as best he could, trying unsuccessfully to hide his fear, between spitting out water. Finally they came to the placid pool where they had swum before. Nicolas swam to the shore, his chest against Daniel's back. Once on the shore, they rested. Though his sense had came back to him, so had the feeling of pain in his shoulder. Daniel sat up, flinching, as he tried to mask his pain, but as the tears swelled in his eyes, Nicolas knew it was bad. Blood covered Daniel's chest, its source a broken collarbone that had ripped through the skin. Nicolas quickly helped his lifelong friend, and now love, to his feet and stepped around to his left side. Wrapping his arm around Daniel's waist, Nicolas led the way to the parked jeep.

Once beside the vehicle, Nicolas opened the door and helped Daniel inside. He then ran around the front of the vehicle and jumped inside himself. Cranking the ignition of the Grand Cherokee and turning on the lights, as the sun had finally disappeared, he jerked the gear out of park and into drive and stepped on the gas pedal. The wheels spun for a moment before gaining traction. He quickly pressed a button, turning on his four-way blinkers, and put his hand in Daniel's palm.

"It'll be ok babe. I promise. I know it hurts, just squeeze my hand. It'll be ok. I love you."

"I love you too..." He spoke softly, the amount of blood cascading down his bare chest causing him to drift between consciousnesses.

As he drove down the road, his speed around 85 miles per hour, Nicolas whispered a silent prayer to whoever was perhaps listening.

"Please god...please god...please god. Don't take him from me like you did mom and dad. Please god. I know Aunt Marica is there, but it's not the same. She didn't adopt me...she doesn't love me like Dave and Alice...mom and dad...did. Please god...please...I beg you..."

Obviously Daniel had regained consciousness because he spoke in a faint voice, a slight laugh in his voice.

"Nico, it'll be ok. I'm safe with you...I'm gonna be fine. Don't freak..."

"Ok Dani..."

Nicolas slightly tapped on the brakes as they neared a blind curve in the road. By the time the vehicle came to it, they were going about 55 miles per hour. However, as they rounded the curve, Nicolas was blinded by another vehicle’s lights. He applied more pressure onto the brakes, but little did he know, until it was too late, the car was on his side of the road.

He slammed on the brakes, the car skidding for a moment before slamming head-on into the other vehicle. The airbags shot from the dash, throwing both boys back into their seats while shattered glass cut into their flesh. The vehicle slid across the road before finally coming to a stop as it hit a bank. Daniel's head slammed into the frame of the door. Shaking his head slowly, everything was silent for Nicolas save the pulsating ringing echoing throughout his head. He ultimately regained some of his senses and looked over at Daniel who lay limp against the seat. He once again reached towards Daniel, his hand covered in his own blood. He shook the boy's hand while whispering his name. There was no response.

Above, storm clouds grew as thunder began to roar throughout the heavens. Lightening ripped across the sky, but Nicolas was ignorant of it. As the blood filled his eyes, he knew it was true. He was alone again; the only one he had left to love was ripped from him. He whispered one word as the blood flowed freely from his busted lip and lacerated eyebrow the only thing he could: no.

His body jerked, the word just escaping his lips. He sat up in bed, his shaking body covered in a cold sweat as tears cascaded down his face. That day, though it seemed like yesterday, had in fact been two years ago. Nicolas was 19 years old now, but time didn't seem to matter.

He wiped his eyes and slowly got out of his bed, walking across the cold wood floor towards the bathroom. Once there, he flipped the light switch and opened the small-mirrored cabinet facing him. He retrieved a bottle of pills and opened the cap, taking three. He placed the bottle back and closed the small door. As he walked back towards the bedroom, he looked into the mirror. Who was he to have survived the accident with mere scratches and bruises? What was he... Since that fatal day when the world abandoned him, he had discovered he was not normal, by any means. He could ignite a fire with a mere thought just as easily as he could cut open his palm and watch it heal before his eyes in a matter of seconds. Who was he to be given such power? Who was God to have cursed him with life, when all he wanted to do a year after the accident was join Daniel. He needed someone to answer these questions, because he could not. That was the entire reason why he had moved to the city, hoping he could find a mentor, someone who knew something.

Exhausted, he flipped the light switch and walked back to the bed. He lied down and took a picture off his nightstand. The moon's silver light fell upon his back and the picture he looked so deeply into. There, as he stared at two boys smiling beside one another, he stayed until sleep once again fell upon him.